If you’re on the fence about moving forward on that decision, here are the top 6 things to think about before moving forward.
What to Consider Before Building Your Addition
1. What You Need
Sort through what you need, what you want and your most outrageous wishes in a home. Once you have this information in order, it will help direct your decisions for the overall project. To start the process, think about how your house currently impacts your daily routines, the amount of people in your house (current and future), your lifestyle and how long you plan on living there.
Be sure to hire an expert who will be truthful with you as to the feasibility of an addition whether you even need one. Sometimes redesigning your existing space may resolve the issues. The right design will make all the difference.
2. Types of Additions
How is your addition going to connect to your home? Homeowners with a larger yard can expand onto the first floor, while homeowners with a more modest lot size may want to add a second story.
A bump-out addition or room extension relocates one or more of the exterior walls in an existing room on the first floor to increase the square footage of that room. This method is often used for narrow bedrooms or cramped kitchens.
A first-floor room addition provides a new room or rooms to the first floor of your home. People often add a family room, sunroom or bathroom.
For homes without an existing upper floor, a second-story addition can double the size of the house without reducing surrounding yard space. The entire roof will be removed, then the second-story addition will be built.
For homes with steep rooflines, an attic addition might be the way to go. Finished attics can make great large bedrooms, bonus rooms and offices that are away from the noise life constantly occurring below. With this type of addition, you may think about adding a dormer for more light and headspace.
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a stand-alone single-family home. These structures are also called granny flats, accessory apartments or second units. These additions tend to be apartments above a garage, pool houses or in-law suites.
3. Cost vs. Home Value
When evaluating the value of your home, enlarging certain rooms and the type of addition will be taken into consideration. For example, a second-story addition is the most expensive type of remodel, but it also tends to add the most value to your home. Know your budget. This will help inform what kind of addition or if it’s even possible as additions are expensive.
Adding space to your home will instantly add value to your home, but it will not instantly offset the cost. Major remodeling projects should only be done when you intend to live in your house for several more years at least. As you may not recoup your full remodeling investment, so it makes the most sense to enjoy the immediate benefits of the improvement. Remodel for your needs, not for resale.
4. City Laws & Codes
The landscape of state, city, and neighborhood zoning, codes, and restrictions can be tricky to say the least. The height of your home, how far the structure is from the property lines, and more need to be taken into consideration or you will not be granted a permit to build. For example, some parts of Dallas are in a “conservation district,” which preserves an area’s particular atmosphere by providing additional development and architectural regulations which is tailored to the specific area. There are currently 18 of these districts located in Dallas with updates to these codes occurring. Each conservation district details things like the changes allowable to certain style of houses, limits the type of admissible architecture for an exterior renovation and color choices and materials to name a few.
Therefore, it would be highly beneficial to hire professionals (e.g. interior designer, architect, engineer and/or general contractors) who are already very familiar with your area. Their experience and due diligence will ensure nothing is overlooked and need to redesign your project.
5. Moving Out
Review the construction schedule of the remodel for the duration of the project. In most instances, you will want to move out of your home during the construction phase of the home addition. There is always so much happening during the remodel, and major systems will be turned off or disconnected at certain points during the construction. It will be worth moving out to preserve your sanity. Pack up what you need for the entirety of the construction phase and stay with friends or book an Airbnb. As every Dallasite knows, there is nothing worse than living in Texas home without functioning air conditioning.
6. Updates to Existing Home
When adding on to your home, you may want to consider what updates you want to make to your existing home. For instance, since you’ll already be moving the HVAC system to accommodate the new space, changing your home’s HVAC system that is a little older might be worthwhile. Or you may want to replace your existing flooring to ensure your all the flooring matches throughout your house. Other items you may consider updating are water heaters and roofing.
Addition Experts in Dallas, TX
Adding on to your home can be a cost-effective solution and increase the value of your home to offset the cost if done properly. Every job is unique, but Blackline Renovations has seen it all. From powder room remodels to whole house renovations with an addition, we are experts in top-of-the-line remodeling. Visit BlacklineRenovations.com or call (214) 827-3747 to discuss your addition for your home today!